


And If They Get Me (And the Sun Goes Down)

by emperor_nasch



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 05:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18004262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emperor_nasch/pseuds/emperor_nasch
Summary: A moment in time as Ryouga and Kaito face a zombie hoard alone. Having each already lost so much in the fight for survival, they only have each other left. And one of them is more willing to make the ultimate sacrifice if the time ever comes for it.





	And If They Get Me (And the Sun Goes Down)

**Author's Note:**

> So I found this nugget of gold in one of my old flashdrives left over from my old computer. It's surprisingly well written for something from at least two or three years ago.
> 
> I'm not sure how I feel about characterization but after reading it over several times I'm letting it be. I rather like it.

“Where the _FUCK_ are all these things coming from?” I heard Ryouga scream as a handful of gunshots rang out, followed by the clunk of another clip put into place. “I thought we cleared the place earlier?”

I took aim at a particularly large rotted humanoid and pulled the trigger, watching its head blow back from the impact. It fell soon after, but I was too busy taking aim at another creature to really take much notice.

“There must have been a hoard coming up behind us that we didn’t take notice of. Though it’d be damn near _impossible_ to miss a hoard this size.” I shout to him, taking out another creature that came way too close for comfort. I make my way close to Ryouga when I see him being surrounded and bash in the head of one that snuck up on him with the butt of my rifle.

“If this keeps up, Kaito…I don’t think we’ll get through it this time.” He says through labored breaths, taking a few more shots before reloading again. “Or, at least one of us isn’t gonna make it.”

My eyes immediately dart in his direction, and they’re blown _wide_. He’s looking away at one of the creatures, but I can tell there’s something very off about how he’s holding himself.

“What the fuck are you talking about?!” I scream, shooting off another round.

“You heard me loud and clear. I have just enough ammo to keep these guys occupied while you make a run for it. That’s about the only chance either one of us will have at surviving. “He reloaded again. I doubted he had nearly enough to distract them for any amount of time. I grit my teeth and planted my feet.

“I’m not going anywhere, Ryouga. If we’re gonna go down, we’re gonna go down together!”

“Kaito that’s fucking insane! Get the fuck outta here while you can, please! I’m begging you!”

He was on the verge of tears, I could tell by his voice alone. He cared about me. He wanted me to live. And he was prepared to die for me.

…

But I wasn’t prepared to let him.

I shot a few more closer ones before moving in next to Ryouga. He whirled his head in my direction, eyes wide with shock as I took out three creatures that were advancing upon us.

“We started in this fight together, Ryouga, and God dammit we’re gonna finish it together!”

“Kaito, pleeeease don’t do this.” His voice was hoarse, and tears were streaming down his dusty cheeks.

I looked at him, and in a single moment, I realized what I wanted to do.

No, what I _needed_ to do.

Quickly, I threw my rifle into my left hand and grabbed Ryouga’s hair with my right. Before he could say anything, I kissed him.

Initially I could hear and feel him verbally objecting, but soon enough, I felt his body go limp.

We only lasted a few seconds, because I caught sight of a creature right over his shoulder and was forced to break the kiss to kill it.

“I’m not going anywhere without you. And if that means we die here together, then so be it. We’ve been through far too much to give up here and now.”

 

\------------------------------

 

There was a period of silence between us, filled only by gunshots and sickening groans from the creatures. It wasn’t a comfortable silence, and I began feeling like I’d done something wrong.

Luckily, it didn’t last as long as I was expecting. The hoard began to thin out, and we had to focus less and less on the situation at hand. Ryoga was bent over, resting his hands on his knees, occasionally wiping sweat from his brow as I finished off the few remaining creatures stumbling their way in our direction.

“What you said before, about not leaving without me…y’know eventually one of us isn’t gonna make it, and if that person’s me…”

I interjected. “It’s not _gonna_ be you.”

Ryouga stood up. “You don’t know that.”

I grit my teeth and trudged over to him, throwing down my rifle and firmly grasping his shoulders.

“I’m not gonna let it be you. Do you understand me?” I could no longer control the volume of my voice.

Ryouga inhaled sharply, and I prepared for a verbal onslaught.

“You don’t _FUCKING. GET. IT. DO YOU_? _Nobody_ is safe, _nobody_ is guaranteed life! _You_ can’t predict who’s gonna live and who’s fucking not! You know how easy it is to die out here? Of course you do! You’ve seen it with your own _fucking_ eyes! You’ve already lost someone to this fucking bullshit-”

“Which is exactly why I’m not losing you too,” I interrupted, but Ryouga was quicker.

“That is _NOT_ the point, Kaito. That’s not logical. You’re hell bent on thinking that because we’ve made it through some really bad shit, that we’re always going to. There’s gonna be a time when we _don’t_. And I want, no, _need_ you to understand and accept that!”

I knew the tears were coming, and I desperately blinked them back, but it was inevitable they were going to fall. I bit my lip before throwing my arms around him and squeezing him tightly.

“Kaito, please…” he murmured, “I want you to promise me you’ll move on when I’m gone. That you won’t dwell on it for too long. I know we’ve been through a lot…before this, and since this began…but nothing lasts forever, and that includes life, especially given our circumstance. We’re lucky to have made it this far, and for that I’m grateful.”

The tears only came harder, and soon I was sobbing. I felt his arms around my shoulders, and in the moment, it was comforting, knowing he was still alive and still with me.

I couldn’t deny what he was saying wasn’t true. I _had_ been so caught up in always having it work out for us in the end, that I never really considered the possibility of one of us not making it through. I wasn’t prepared to accept our eventual fates. And I knew it was going to take time to adjust.

But, for the time being, I had Ryouga there to help me. He’d been the logic-driven one since the beginning, which for him was certainly not what I’d have expected. Yet I was strangely okay with it. He was helping me cope, helping me survive, and I was lucky to have him.

We let go of each other, but I leaned in one last time to kiss him again. This time, we were able to linger, savoring one of the most peaceful moments of our journey. He cocked his head slightly to let me delve in a little further, and I took the opportunity, slowly sliding my tongue against his. However, I didn’t keep it up for long, pulling away soon afterward, earning a low, irritated moan from Ryouga.

“Once we get situated for the evening, we can further that. For now, let’s just barricade these doors and windows before anyone or anything else decides to show up.”

He rolled his eyes, but nodded anyway, trudging into the dwelling to gather up the few supplies we’d stocked in there earlier in the day. After retrieving them, we set out on boarding up the windows as best we could, knowing that it may be the only barrier between us and certain death.

\---

Ryouga seemed to have moved on from the earlier incident, but my mind was still twisting and turning, thinking of ‘what if’s’ and how I’d ever make it to the point of accepting a life without him by my side.

He was sitting against a wall, playing with the rough, torn edges of his jeans. I couldn’t help but to cozy up next to him, hopeful he’d be willing to let me bring up what happened earlier.

“Ryouga, about what happened…and what you told me…”

He stopped his actions, glancing in my direction.

“I just wanted to thank you for knocking sense into this thick head of mine.”

He chuckled. “You’re welcome, but, I don’t need a thank you. You figured it out on your own, after a bit of prodding from me. Your brain deserves the credit.”

I shook my head, gently punching him in the shoulder. “Both you and my brain, ok?”

“Sure.”

He looked at me again, his eyes tired and heavy; I could tell he needed sleep, desperately.

“You can sleep, if you want. I’ll take first shift,” I said, patting my lap.

“You don’t mind?” he asked, trying to stifle a yawn but failing.

“Not at all. I’ll wake you if anything happens, promise.”

He smiled weakly, then plopped his head and shoulders on my stomach. I absent-mindedly put my fingers through his hair and began to massage lightly, lulling him off to sleep a lot quicker than I anticipated to. But he needed the rest.

Of course, so did I, but I was willing to make sacrifices for Ryouga.

After all, he really _was_ the last person left in my life. Earlier I was ready to die with him, so forgoing a few hours of sleep would be nothing.

I leaned my head back against the wall and whispered,

“G’night Ryouga. Love you.”

I awaited a reply but was met with a snore.

“Glad you feel the same way.”


End file.
